ISLAMABAD, July 29: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Thursday criticized the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) for not taking 'genuine scholars' on board to review hudood ordinances and presenting what it called liberals' point of view while recommending repealing of hudood laws.

These remarks were made by a group of women parliamentarians of the MMA led by Samia Raheel Qazi at a press conference in the Parliament House's cafeteria. They talked about the salient features of the bill the MMA had submitted to the National Assembly for women empowerment in the country which would be discussed in the next session of the assembly.

Promptly reacting to the question when their attention was drawn to recommendations of the NCSW, they argued that the commission lacked representation of genuine Islamic scholars and the MMA did not attach any importance to such suggestions.

"We believe that it is the NGOs-driven agenda which the NCSW is following. We have already raised this issue at a number of forums and will not allow anybody to play with Islamic laws," they said.

In response to a question, Samia Raheel Qazi contended that there was nothing wrong with hudood laws, but there were problems in connection with their implementations. Referring to the recently launched NCSW's report whereby it has recommended repealing of these laws, Ms Qazi claimed that two members of the committee which reviewed these laws, Dr S.M Zaman and Dr Farida, did not agree with the recommendations.

In this connection, she said: "We have already written to the prime minister that the NCSW in total disregard to the views of S.M. Zaman and Dr Farida, who opposed repealing of hudood laws, came up with the report that everybody agreed with the recommendations."

Talking about the bill which the MMA has submitted to the National Assembly, she said it covered every aspect of a woman's life ranging from their property rights to relaxation in age limit to get a government job, and this would be discussed in the next session of the assembly".

It is a proven fact that without empowering women, no society can claim itself a progressive society and in this regard, there is lot more to be done in the country, she said.